Genuine opinions on predator mites by someone who has used them

[HazyHashMan]

As title says looking for general opinions on predator mites.

 

I have a very special clone of super silver haze I’ve been trying to save since about October last year. Long story short I can manage the mite population and get them down to a few number but can literally never completely rid of them. I’ve tried ivermectin in mass quantities, I’ve tried 3 different brand of smoke bombs hot boxed in a prop tent ( which only seems to make the mites breed harder and faster ? ) they literally explode in population after a smoke bomb lmfao. 
 

Anyways digressing onto the predator mites, I’ve used them before from that dragonfli website before on a tiny infestation on a couple plants over a year ago, I used about 50,000 of the P. Permillus or whatever species it was. All I can say is a week after putting them in the mites went from a small almost unnoticeable population to exploding so I’ve always just assumed predators are worthless when it comes to spider mites. 
 

I did do some research ages ago to find that the species I used generally can’t even catch spider mites because they’re too slow and they’re only really good at eating eggs, while the actual mites can dodge, out run and starve the P. Permillus out of existence. 
 

So my last ditch effort is to use the p. Permillus to get rid of as many eggs as possible, then apply a shit load of the California species which eat only 5 mites a day but research suggests they’re better hunters and can actually catch spider mites. 
 

Im hoping this will do the job but after past experiences I have my doubts so looking for second opinions before I potentially waste another £100 on top of what I can only guesstimate to be about £1000 I’ve spent so far.

 

ive also used the water method of drowning them which works wonders at killing 99% but never all of them. 
 

also open to any toxic stuff that’ll get the job done, has to be seriously toxic though to get the job done. 
 

I’m literally one step away from ringing up putin and asking for some novichok at this point  

Edited August 13, 2022 by HazyHashMan

[highgrower]

I tried predator mites twice with little luck.

 

If in flower not much you can do other than clean the area properly once chopped.

 

In veg i have tried many things including ivermectine and some other nastier stuff but they do become immune to it after a few spray if you dont wipe them out fully - i finally got rid of them by completely spraying the area down with dettol and also the plants in veg at a low concentration about 2 or 3 times - other ppl have added some dettol to a humidifier which also seems to help.

 

[HazyHashMan]

@highgrower I have seen the dettol thread and looks promising, only problem the ssh has been battered for the last year, not sure if she can take that kind of abuse in her weakened state but will keep it in the agenda. 
 

ive heard of some effect IPM treatments online but they’re usually £100+ for a little bottle which I’d happily pay 100x over atm but only if it was 100% going to work. I’m honestly a bit gobsmacked the smoke bombs haven’t worked, kills every spider and moth in a mile radius but mites seem to love the stuff 

[HazyHashMan]

Anyone have first hand experience with the California species I mention ? They seem to be much more efficient hunters just more costly and slower feeding 

[highgrower]

I tried both the live ones in bottles and the ones which u hang from the branches - i think are full of eggs which they then hatch and climb out of.

 

Neither made much of a difference maybe if you get a bottle of the living ones and empty it on the cut every few days you may get rid of them but i would isolate the cut and trim it back as much as possible the less plant matter the less chance of missing an egg or mite.

[BilgePump]

I've recently had my first success with predators, 2000 phytoseiulus persimilis SEEMED to clear up a residual mite problem.

 

I've been there myself throwing untold amounts of predators in with no visible effects before.

 

I think dragonfli got about 120 quid off me last autumn  those plants ended up in the shredder.

 

Bioline seem to have hungrier predators than koppert that's the main thing I've noticed 

 

Also p. Persimilis ain't that slow, they're easily faster than spider mites having observed them hunting plenty 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by BilgePump

[BilgePump]

I'm fully expecting to get home and find mites now, always the way 

 

[HazyHashMan]

@BilgePump Don’t jinx it  

[Arthur Mix]

I just had mites I didn’t use predators though , two sprays of dr shimmel after I tried sbpi did the trick . If I had a veg plant to save I’d dunk it in a solution of shimmel rather than spray. Sometimes get some leaf issues after but the plants bounce back. 

[Chairman O The Bored]

1 hour ago, highgrower said:

I tried both the live ones in bottles and the ones which u hang from the branches - i think are full of eggs which they then hatch and climb out of.

 

 

+1 for me, just chopped after getting them about half way through flower

 

Looking at my options then, and i thought i had caught things before any webbing, application of the predator mites just seemed to make the population jump. It was the ones that come in the bottle and I was pissed off as its only a 4 X 4 tent and the bottle was for a much bigger area. The supplier said that he recommended 3 "waves" if the infestation is "bad", and said that the big increase in population was the mites reaction to being "under attack"... I got a 2nd batch, but this time the sachet kind, but TBH I think my hoovering was taking more out.

 

It was def worse on 3 out of the 8... But still the damage had been done so cropped early.

 

I cleaned out the main tent with a smoke bomb and a wash down with clorox bleach, but I am concerned about my mum tent and have some seedlings now back in the main tent.

 

I didn't see you mention Neem Oil, I have been spraying that and have just found a video online that has some other soapy/oily mix that I am going to try...  FYI its:

 

Tea Tree Castile Oil - 60ml (1/4 cup)

Peppermint Castile Oil - 60ml (1/4 cup)

H2O2 (1%) - 5ml (teaspoon)

ISO (75%) - 120ml (1/2 cup)

 

(I haven't tried this yet and the video was for 2 quarts and measures in spoons, so hopefully my maths is right)

 

I have seen all of the above be used in the past for stuff, so worth a try.

 

I am now in the US and can't get SBPI as per @Arthur Mix , i seem to recall it smelled quite nice (?), or give it the Dr..... sounds like you are at you wits end.

 

Good luck dude...

 

 

 

 

[Chairman O The Bored]

4 minutes ago, Chairman O The Bored said:

 

+1 for me, just chopped after getting them about half way through flower

 

Looking at my options then, and i thought i had caught things before any webbing, application of the predator mites just seemed to make the population jump. It was the ones that come in the bottle and I was pissed off as its only a 4 X 4 tent and the bottle was for a much bigger area. The supplier said that he recommended 3 "waves" if the infestation is "bad", and said that the big increase in population was the mites reaction to being "under attack"... I got a 2nd batch, but this time the sachet kind, but TBH I think my hoovering was taking more out.

 

It was def worse on 3 out of the 8... But still the damage had been done so cropped early.

 

I cleaned out the main tent with a smoke bomb and a wash down with clorox bleach, but I am concerned about my mum tent and have some seedlings now back in the main tent.

 

I didn't see you mention Neem Oil, I have been spraying that and have just found a video online that has some other soapy/oily mix that I am going to try...  FYI its:

 

Tea Tree Castile Oil - 60ml (1/4 cup)

Peppermint Castile Oil - 60ml (1/4 cup)

H2O2 (1%) - 5ml (teaspoon)

ISO (75%) - 120ml (1/2 cup)

 

(I haven't tried this yet and the video was for 2 quarts and measures in spoons, the above is added to 1 litre of water, hopefully my maths is right)

 

I have seen all of the above be used in the past for stuff, so worth a try.

 

I am now in the US and can't get SBPI as per @Arthur Mix , i seem to recall it smelled quite nice (?), or give it the Dr..... sounds like you are at you wits end.

 

Good luck dude...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Chairman O The Bored
oops... hit quote instead of edit adding the litre part!

[HazyHashMan]

@Arthur Mix Gunna order some right now  hopefully it’s the death in a bottle I need 

I’ve still got some leftover ivermectin so might alternate and use both 

Edited August 13, 2022 by HazyHashMan

[badbillybob]

i bought a load of predators and, before i set them loose i got out the usb microscope, and emptied half the container........ guess how many i saw, of the supposed 10000 odd?

not fucking one. there was nothing in it. 

Most pissed i contacted the sellers and oh must have been a one off error.they sent a replacement tube, and again, all 10,000 must have escaped the sealed tube in transit. None to be seen again....

 

just be sure youre actually getting them, cos theres a lot of robbing twats out there. cant remember the sellers, was a few years back

 

[highgrower]

2 hours ago, Chairman O The Bored said:

ISO (75%) - 120ml (1/2 cup)

 

Interesting your formula has that in it so does dettol - plus your adding natural oils again dettol has pine and caster oil in it - clearly the mites dont like the  isopropyl alcohol or oils.

[Chairman O The Bored]

1 hour ago, highgrower said:

 

Interesting your formula has that in it so does dettol - plus your adding natural oils again dettol has pine and caster oil in it - clearly the mites dont like the  isopropyl alcohol or oils.

 

oh yea... i read your dettol thread a wee while ago but forgot.

 

interesting indeed.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Chairman O The Bored